Apparatus for reclaiming automobile radiators



Aug. 27, 1929. A; o. MASON APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING AUTOMOBILE BADIA'IORS F1164 Feb. 10, 1-927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ell/6m? dmz/w'bald ame Aug. 27, 1929. A. o. MASON 1,725,990

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS Filed Feb. 10. 1927 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 27, 1929. MASON 1,725,990

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS Filed Feb. 10, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES ARCI-IIBALD O. MASON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS.

Application filed February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,337.

The invention relates to an apparatus for reclaiming automobile radiators and more particularly for separating the plates and tubes of the type of radiator formed of longitudinal and transverse rows of tubes extending between upper and lower headers and a series of parallel, heat-radiating plates mounted on the tubes. In this type of radiator, the tubes are usually formed of copper and the plates and headers of yellow brass; the ends of the tubes are soldered to the headers and the plates are held in position on the tubes by a small amount of solder.

Heretofore, in recovering'the metal from discarded radiators of this type, it has been customary to smeltthem in a suitable furnace. This method results in considerable loss, chiefly on account of the oxidization of some of the zinc contained in the brass headers and plates, and the recovered metal is of much less value than would be the case if the brass headers and plates were mechanically separated from the copper tubes.

If attempt is made to melt the solder and pull the tubes and plates apart by the application of force lengthwise of the tubes, the plates twist and bind firmly on the tubes.

In accordance with the present invention, after removing the headers from the ends of the tubes, the mechanical separation of the plates and tubes is effected by applying pressure edgewise to the portions of the plates between the transverse rows of tubes, such pressure being applied to the plates, one or two at a time. In this way, the plates, which are quite thin, are torn along the lines of the transverse rows of tubes and so stripped from the tubes. The invention also provides apparatus for separating the plates and tubes in this manner, comprisingv a series of plate strippers spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes and tear and strip the plates therefrom, together with actuating mechanism' for the strippers and means for supporting and guidin the radiators to the strippers.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section 'illustrating a modification.

Fig. 7 is a'view in elevation of the type of radiator to which the present reclaiming method and apparatus are applied.

As shown in Figs. 4:, 5 and 7, the types of radiator treated comprises headers a and Z), longitudinal and transverse rows of copper tubes 0, the ends of which extend into and are soldered to the headers, and a large number of brass radiating plates 01 through which the tubes extend and which are secured in parallel spaced relation on the tubes by a small amount of solder. Usually, also, the radiatoris provided with a steel supporting bar 6, which is perforated to receive the tubes and to which-the latter are fixed adjacent their lower ends, and which bar serves as means for securing the radiator in position on the automobile chassis.

.In recovering metal from discarded radiators of this type, in accordance with the present invention, the brass headers 40 and b are first removed either by first heating the radiator to melt the solder and then pulling the headers from the tubes, or preferably by sawing through the tubes in planes closely adjacent the walls of the headers into which the ends of the tubes extend, as indicated by the lines f-f and g"g respectively of Fig. 7 Then, by the application of pressure to the plates, one or two at a time and edgewise thereof and to the portions of the plates between the rows of tubes, the plates are torn along the lines of the rows of tubes and so stripped therefrom.

"The improved apparatus for carrying out this method is shown in its preferred form in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. posite side frames 10 connected by transverse members 11 and having a horizontal supporting bed plate 12 at one end and adjacent its upper portion; This bed is mounted upon flanges 13 and 14 formed upon the side frames 10 and on the upper end of the adjacent transverse member 11. A horizontal U-shaped guide frame 15 is mounted on the bed plate 12 between a pair of longitudinal guide bars 16, and is movable longitudinally over the bed plate and beneath a transverse angle bar 17 which is secured at its ends to the upper edges of the side frame 10. Preferably, as shown, the guide frame 15 is provided with racks 18 which mesh with gears 19 on a transverse feed shaft 20. The latter is journaled in the upper portion of the side frames 10 and is connected by a pair of beveled gears 21 to a longitudimlly extending shaft 22 journaled in the upper side portion of one of the side frames 10 and having a crank disk or wheel 23 on its outer end. The latter, in the form shown, is provided with a handle 24.

The radiator, after the headers have been removed and the ends of the supporting bar J cut off, is placed within the guiding frame 15 with the tubes extending longitudinally thereof and the plates disposed in vertical planes, extending between the side members of the guiding frame and resting upon the bed plate 12. The guiding frame 15 is open at its inner end and its side members, as shown in Fig. 2, are preferably provided with inturned lugs 25. Then, by rotating the feed shaft 20 by means of the drive shaft 22 and the hand wheel 23, the radiator is fed inwardly over the inner end of the bed plate and into the path ofthe strippers which move past the inner end of the bed plate.

The strippers are preferably in the form of wedge-shaped teeth 26 formed or mounted upon the peripheral portions of a series of rotatable disks 27. The latter are mounted in spaced relation upon a transverse shaft 28 which is journaled in suitable bearings upon the side members 10 and is provided with means for rotating it and the stripping disks in forward direction, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and preferably also means is provided for-rotating the stripping disks inreverse direction.

In the form shown, the shaft 28 is connected to a drive shaft 29 by a train of speed-reducing gearing 30, some of the elements of which are mounted upon an intermediate shaft 31. Shafts 29 and 31 are mounted in suitable bearings on the side frames 10, and the shaft 29 is provided with pulleys 82 loosely mounted thereon and driven in opposite directions by belts 33. Clutches 34: connect the pulleys and the shaft 29 and a pair ofclutch shifters 35 are pivotally mounted on brackets 36. Levers 37 pivoted intermediate their ends on the outer faces of the side frames, are pivoted at their upper ends to the clutch shifters 35 and at their lower ends to arms 38 on a pair of rock shaft-s 39. The latter are journaled on the lower portions of the side frames and are provided at the right hand end of the machine with inwardly extending pedals 40. By means of the pedals, the operator can engage either one of the clutches and cause the drive mechanism to rotate the stripping disks either in forward or reverse direction.

The spacing of the stripping disks 27 and the width thereof, and also the width of the Wedge-shaped teeth or strippers 26, is such that, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the disks and strippers will pass between the trans verse rows of tubes of a radiator as the latter is advanced over the bed plate 12. Preferably the width of the stripping teeth is substantially as indicated in Fig. 5, that is to say, somewhat less than that of the spaces between the. transverse rows of tubes. The strippers are arranged in horizontal alignment so that, as the disks are rotated in forward direction and the radiator fed inwardly over the inner edge of the bed plate, one set of stripping teeth will engage one or two of the plates and simultaneously apply pressure edgewise to the portions thereof between the transverse rows of tubes. The effect of this is to tear the plates along the lines of the transverse rows of tubes, as indicated by the dotted lines it in Fig. 5, and the brass plates are thus torn and stripped quite cleanly from the tubes. In some cases however, where considerable solder has been used, small fragments of the brass plates will adhere to the tubes, although the greater portion of the plates will be removed.

For effective operation, the edges of the forward faces of the wedge-shaped strippers or teeth 26 are concave, as shown, and the rear faces are convex. The spacing of the strippers or teeth in each disk should be at least equal to the width of the radiator plates, so that only one transverse set of strippers will be in operation at a time. While the points of the wedge-shaped strippers are preferably quite sharp to enter between the spaced plates, their other edges are not sharp. That is to say, the working faces of the strippers are quite wide and blunt so that the strippers tear the plates as stated and do not cut them.

It is noted that as the plates are progressively acted upon and torn and stripped from the tubes, that the latter are held in position by the remaining plates which rest upon the bed plate 12, and these plates are held in position by the transverse bar 17 which extends over and engages the upper edges of some of the plates, as most clearly indicated in Fig. 4. In stripping the plates from the radiator section having no transverse steel bar 6, the plates are preferably stripped from substantially one-half of the section, and then the section is reversed in position and. the remaining, or nearly all of the remaining plates are stripped therefrom. If the radiator section has one of the supporting bars, the brass plates on one side of this bar can be stripped from the tubes and then the radiator section can be reversed in position and the brass plates on the other side stripped.

Fig. 6 shows a modification in which a single set of strippers 26 are mounted upon a vertically reciprocating bar 41 which is guided in uprights 42 on the main frame 10, and is connected by links 43 to a crankshaft 44, so that by driving the crank-shaft the strippers 26 are vertically reciprocated. Preferably however, the strippers are mounted upon rotary disks, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. But in this form, it is desirable that the guiding bed plate 12 should be so located and the stripping disks of such size that the movement of the teeth, in applying pressure to the plates to tear and strip them from the tubes, is in a direction transversely of the tubes and only to a slight extent longi tudinally thereof. Also, to prevent the'pressure of the strippers on the plates from bend ing the tubes, the supporting bed plate should extend closely adjacent the path of movement of the strippers, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.

As described, the improved mechanism for the stripping disks is provided with means for rotating the disk either in forward or reverse direction at the will of the operator. This is desirable because at times, if the radiator being reclaimed is badly distorted, some jamming is apt to occur. Then, by reversing the stripping disks, the jammed radiator will be forced rearwardly out of engagement therewith.

The improved apparatus is quite efiicient in effecting the recovery of the valuable yellow brass of which the plates are formed, and the separation of the plates and tubes is effected without the need of applying heat to melt the solder. the brass plates, the copper tubes which are coated with solder and which also may have a small portion of the brass plates adhering thereto, can be smelted with very little loss. Changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators comprising means for supporting the radiators, a plurality of plate strippers spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes and apply edgewise pressure to the plates to strip the same from the tubes, and mechanism. for actuating the strippers.

2. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators comprising a plurality of plate strippers spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes and strip the plates therefrom, means for actuating the strippers and means for guid- After the removal of ing the radiators thereto in a direction transverse to the paths of movement of the strippers.

3. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators comprising means for supporting the radiators and a plurality of wedge-shaped plate strippers, each of a width somewhat less than the spaces between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators and spaced apart to pass simultaneously between the transverse rows of tubes and apply edgewise pressure to the plates to tear and strip them from the tubes.

4. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped plate strippers, each of a Width somewhat less than the spaces between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators and spaced apart to pass simultaneously between the transverse rows of tubes to tear the plates and strip them from the tubes, means for actuating the strippers and means for guiding the radiators thereto in a direction transverse to the paths of movement of the strippers.

5. Apparatus for stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators comprising a supporting bed for the radiators, and a series of plate strippers movable past the end of said bed, said strippers being spaced apart'to pass between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators as the latter are advanced over the bed, and mechanism for actuating the strippers.

6. Apparatus for stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators comprising a supporting bed for the radiators, and a series of plate strippers movable past the end of said. bed, said strippers being spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators the latter are advanced over the bed, a cross piece extending over the end portion of the bed for holding the radiators in position thereon, and mechanism for actuating the strip ers. p 7. Apparatusfor stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators comprising a supporting bed for the radiators, and a series of plate strippers movable past the end of said bed, said strippers being spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators as the latter are advanced over the bed, a cross piece ex tending over the end portion of the bed for holding the radiators in position thereon, means for actuating the strippers and means for feeding the radiators over said bed plate.

8. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators, comprising means for supporting the radiators and a series of rotary members spaced apart to pass between the transverse rows of tubes ofthe radiators and having wedge-shaped teeth arranged to engage the radiator plates edgewise and strip and tear them from the tubes.

9. Apparatus for separating the tubes and plates of automobile radiators con'iprising a shaft, actuating means therefor, plurality of circular members mounted in spaced relation on said shaft and having peripheral wedge-shaped strippers arranged to pass between the transverse rows of tubes of the radiators and strip and tear the sheets therefrom, and means for guiding the radiators to the strip ing members in a direction extending adjacent and below said shaft.

10. Apparatus for stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators comprising a shaft, a series of circular members mounted in spaced relation on said shaft and having peripheral wedge-shaped teeth adapted to pass between the transverse rows of tubes ot the radiators and strip the plates therefrom, the spacing of the teeth of each member being at least equal to the width of the radiator plates and the teeth having rounded concave forward faces and convex rear faces.

11. Apparatus for stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators, comprising a shaft, a series of circular members mounted in spacel relation. on said shaft and having peripheral Wedge-shaped plate strippers, a bed plate at one side of said members and below said shaft for supporting the radiators, and reversible drive mechanism for said shaft.

12. Apparatus for stripping the plates from the tubes of automobile radiators, comprising a shaft. a series of circular members mounted in spaced relation on said shaft and having perhaheral Wedge-shaped plate strippers, a bed. plate at one side of said members and below said shaft for supporting the radiators, a cross piece over the end of said bed plate for holding the radiators in position thereon, means for actuating; said shaft and means for feeding the radiators over said bed plate.

ARCHIBALD O. MASON. 

